Well said, Bill. Welcome to the club.

Rick Cooley			[log in to unmask]
Dana Medical Library		[log in to unmask]
University of Vermont           http://moose.uvm.edu/~rcooley/
Burlington, VT 05405
(802)-656-8849

On Sun, 19 Nov 1995, Bill Bishop wrote:

> I am deeply concerned about the current state of intolerance and hostility
> between a small, but vocal group, who believe UVM is an utterly racist
> institution and the much larger community of whites and more moderate
> people of color who disagree with this viewpoint.  With few exceptions,
> the people I hear from are no longer listening to the discussion on
> UVMTODAY.  Messages are deleted without being read.  Many people are
> afraid to speak up and challenge the radical assertions being made.  Free
> speech and intellectual debate are important aspects of the atmosphere at
> UVM and any college or university.  The silence from the majority of
> people at UVM on the topic of racism and diversity is striking.  Why the
> fear about discussing these issues?  Why have so many people shut down? 
> The answer is that they sense no room for a moderate position because they
> will be labeled a racist or a pawn of the power structure at UVM if they
> dont agree totally that the system is corrupt. 
> 
> When I hear the stories about racist conduct in classes and in the 
> residence halls at UVM I am usually not surprised.  Does racism exist at 
> UVM?  Does racism exist in Vermont?  Does racism exist in the Asian, 
> Black, Latino communities as well as among whites?  Does it exist 
> everywhere in our country and world?  The answer is a resounding yes!  
> Why should it be any different here?  Are people of color the only group 
> that experiences discrimination based on appearance or stereotyping?  
> Absolutely not!  Those that are overweight, disabled, homosexual, poor, 
> believers in non-mainstream religions, or considered ugly (in a society 
> that has defined beauty in a way that 98% of us can never obtain) know 
> otherwise.  Does that mean we should give up and not work towards 
> fostering attitudes of tolerance, respect, and justice for all?  
> Absolutely not.  However, I think it is time to take a step back and get 
> things in perspective before we damn the system and our leaders.  
> 
> The leadership of the Commission on Racial Justice has made statements and
> demands that are impossible for most of us to accept.  All whites are
> privileged.  UVM is a racist institution.  People who draw a paycheck from
> UVM are loyal to the institution in a self-serving manner.  They are
> incapable of operating in the best interests of students.  Acts of
> vandalism and threats are not isolated incidents.  The implication is that
> there is widespread support for mistreatment of people of color.  From
> past experience working at Police Services, I can tell you that
> harassment, threats, assaults, and even death threats occur throughout the
> year in a quantity that would surprise most people.  Most of these are not
> against people of color.  However, most of these incidents are not
> publicized.  This supports the conclusion that a group of people are being
> systematically victimized. 
> 
> The Commission on Racial Justice wanted complete autonomy to define the 
> Executive Officer's position, define the reporting structure of this 
> position (to themselves), and almost total control over the functioning 
> of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.  Everyone, including the 
> President, has people above them who in some way limit their freedom.  
> This is a function of a hierarchy and serves as a method of assuring 
> order and control.  It is not a perfect system , and is often 
> frustrating, but it is common to virtually every department, group, or 
> organization at UVM.  Sometimes you just have to work within the system 
> in which you find yourself and try to change it from within.  One way to 
> do this is to recognize progress (however small), compromise, and accept 
> that people may share goals, but disagree about the methods to achieve 
> these goals.  I dont recall hearing much in the way of affirmation, 
> willingness to compromise, or tolerance that it is possible to disagree 
> about methods from the recently dissolved Commission.
> 
> To look at another perspective, the Office of Multicultural Affairs has a 
> much larger budget than the Staff Council.  The operating budget of the 
> Staff Council (what remains after salaries and benefits for two 75% 
> employees) is around $7,000.  This amount funds an entity designed to 
> advocate and support almost 2,000 staff at UVM.  Staff Council has a one 
> room office.  Compare this with a much larger budget (perhaps someone can 
> quote the exact number) and suite of offices and common areas at OMA, an 
> organization that serves a much smaller number of people.  The point I am 
> making is not that Staff Council is underfunded or that OMA is 
> overfunded.  I simply want to point out that there are two sides to most 
> issues and that everything isn't terrible despite what you hear.  In 
> light of the extreme position taken by the leaders of the Commission, its 
> dissolution was inevitable. 
> 
> On Friday, I am told that a group of twenty-five prospective ALANA 
> students was confronted by a group of people who informed them that UVM 
> is a bad place for people of color.  They were told of the Commission's 
> withdrawal from the search for the Executive Officer of Diversity.  They 
> were told of the dissolution of the Commission on Racial Justice.  
> 
> My understanding is that this group was composed of leaders of the ALANA
> community who successfully advocated that the Student Government
> Association not participate in the search for the new Executive Officer
> for Diversity.  How is this action helpful in the long term effort to
> promote diversity at UVM?  I doubt that any of these prospective students
> live in a place not tainted by discrimination and bigotry.  However, this
> one-sided and negative perspective on UVM will certainly not encourage
> high school students to come to UVM.  I certainly wouldn't suggest we
> mislead people into thinking that UVM is a pristine place free from crime
> and racial injustice.  However, this kind of activity undermines the
> efforts to make UVM a more diverse, and intellectually stimulating
> university.  In most ways, UVM is a great place to study, work, and teach. 
> 
> I expect some heat for these comments and opinions.  Consequently, I 
> would like to point out that this message reflects my personal opinion.  
> I am not speaking on behalf of all staff in my role as Staff Council 
> President.  However, many of these views have been confirmed by others in 
> private.  I would encourage dialogue and hope that we can get to a point 
> when everyone will feel free to speak their mind and debate these 
> issues.  This is the key to progress.  Sometimes you have to take a stand 
> that is not politically correct.    
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> Bill Bishop
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~
> Bill Bishop				      Fax:          (802) 656-6550
> University of Vermont        
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> Burlington Vermont 05405                 Internet:   [log in to unmask] 
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